Messenger wire clamp



MalCh 17, 1953 H. R. WENGEN ETAL MESSENGER WIRE CLAMP Filed D90. 29, 1949 l elements I4 land t5.

Patented Mar. 17, 1953 MESSENGER WIRE CLAMP Henry R. Wengen, Allan C. Miller, and Raymond B. Schoonmaker, Poughkeepsie, N. Y., assignors to Fargo Mfg. Company, Inc., Poughkeepsie, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application December 29, 1949, Serial No. 135,554

5 Claims. (Cl. 24-81) This invention relates to an improved clamp for securing a small diameter wire or strand relative to a large diameter wire or cable.

It is an object of this invention to provide a clamp which clamps ra small diameter wire to a large diameter wire.

It is a fur-ther object of this invention to p-rovide a clamp which clamps a small ydiameter Wire and a large diameter wire in iixed positions with relation to each other by the same clamping operations.

It is a sti'll further object of this invention to provide :a small diameter wire which may be readily inserted through .and clamped in one set of jaws in a clamp while a large diameter wire passes through and is clamped in ano-ther set of jaws in the same clamp.

These and other objects of our invention will become more apparent upon consideration of the following Idescription .taken together with the drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a schematic View of an aerial cable lashed to a supporting messenger cable;

Fig. 2 is a section of one form of a clamp of this invention;

Fig. 3 is a section of the clamp of Fig. 2 taken o n line 3-3 in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 4 is .an exploded View of the clamp of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a top plan view of the clamp of Fig. 2 partly in section;

Fig. 6 is a side elevation of a modificati-on of the clamp of this invention;

.,Fig. 7 is a section of the clamp of Figs. 2 and 5. vin a diiferent posi-tion of operation, and

, Fig. 8 is a section of theclamp of Figs. 2 and 5 in a still diiferent position of operation. A I

Referring to Fig. 1, a messenger cable I is shown supporting an aerial cable I I by means of lash-ing wire I2. The lashing wire I2 is looped around both the messenger cable I0 and the aerial cable II and drawn tight to bring the aerial cable II close to the messenger cable I0. The lashing wire I2 in .turn is itself fastened to the messenger cable by a set of clamps I3. The

clamps I3 hold the lashing wire in position wi-thl relation to the cables I0 and II and thus holds the assembly of cables and wire together. Fig. Y2 shows clamp I3 is made up of two major parts, they are a female element |4 which receives a male element I5. Each of the elements I4 and.

I- A'are provided with V-shaped faces I-6 which areindented into jaws Il depending from the The faces IB on the jaws I] face each other to form the clamping portion of the clamp I3 which grips the cable I0. The elements I4 and I5 are movably fastened together by a bolt I8 running into a hole I9 tapped in the element I5 and bearing against a washer 20 at the end of the element I4. When the bolt t8 is screwed into or ou-t of the tapped hole I9 the elements I4 and |15 are drawn together or released. As shown in the sectional view of Fig.

element I5 runs in the guideway 23. The lower edge of the lateral walls 22 are flanged out in-to lips 26 which rest and slide on shoulders 211 formed in the element I4 on each side of they block 214. The jaws of the elements |14 and |15 Y extend downward from the guideway `23 and the block 24. The block 24 is tapped with the hole I9 and receives the bolt I8 which is insertedA through the guideway 23 from the opposite end so that when the washer 20 is rested .against the back 28 of the element I4the block 214 1can be moved through the guideway 23. When the block 24 is drawn into the guideway 23 so as to bring the faces I6 of the jaws I'I together a surface 29 on the nether side of the block 24 contacts andslides on the floor 25.

The block 24 as shown in Fig. 2 has a surface 30. This surface 30 may 'be inc-lined as shown i-n Fig. 2 or parallel to a surface 32 on the insideA of element I4. The block 24 and the guideway 23 are so shaped that a. space 3I is provided between th-e surface 3 and the inner or net/her surface 32 of the roof 2|. This space 3I is large enough to .permit the lashing Wire I2 to be inserted through the `clamp through openings 33 in the upper portion of the lateral walls 22 of the element I4. The lashing wire I2 passing through the one opening 313 and the guideway 23 passes over the top surface 30 of the block 24 and out the other opening 33 on the other side. When the clamp I3 is in open position the lashing wire I"2 will iit easily Vthrough the openings 33 and the space 3 I.

In the operation of the clamp I3 according tov lashing wire I2. Referring again to Fig. 2, the

The part of the 3 clamp I3 is closed by drawing the element I5 to the left with relation to the element I4. As the block 24 moves into the guideway 23 the surface 30 bears laterally upon the lashing wire I2 and pushes it against the side of the opening 33 as shown in Fig. 5. At the same time the inclined surface 30 forces the lashing wire I2 against the nether surface 32 of the roof 2 I. This clamping can be carried to the point where the wire I2 is permanently crimped by the clamping action as shown by the section of lashing wire passing through the clamp I3 in Fig. 5.

The male element I4 exertsa further clamping action on the lashing wire upon the tightening of the clamp I3. This is achieved as a result of a rotational moment which takes place as the jaws I'Iybear upon the relatively large cable I0. When the unclamped clamp I3 is in a horizontal position with its jaws I'I depending downward, the male element which fits loosely in the guideway 23 sags so that the block 24 is canted at an angle. In one method of making a secure connection with ythe clamp I3 this sagging element I 5 is held up in the guideway 23 by the assembler in the position shown in Fig. 7. In this position the jaws I'I receive the cable. After the clamp I3 has been placed on the large cable such `as cable I0, the element I5 and its jaw I'I again sag with the. surface 29 at one end of block 24 resting on surface 25 and the block 24 tilted downward toward its` other end.. As shown in Fig. 8, however, the cable prevents as greater a degree of sag` as when it is absent. The sag is due to the play allowed in the fitting of element I5 into element I4. When the clamp I3 is tightened on the cable I `the bolt I8 pulls the elements I4 and I5 together and the play between these elements causes the element I to acquire rotational movement when its jaw I'I bears against one side of the cable III while the jaw I'I of the element I4 bears against the other side. The element I5 has a tendency to rotate in a counterclockwise direction around the axis of the cable I0 as shown by the arrow A in Fig. 8. This counterclockwise movement tilts the outer end of the block 24 upward, moving the element I5 toward the lposition shown in Fig. 2. The effect of such a rotational moment is to add to the clamping force applied to the lashing wire I2. This is brought about by the leverage that is exerted on the element I5 under these conditions. In tilting the block 24 acts as a lever with the abutment between the surfaces 25 and 29 providing the fulcrum point for the lever. The force is applied by the bolt I8 pulling in the tapped hole I9 to straighten the alignment of the block 24 in the guideway 23. The work of the lever is applied in a squeezing action against the lashing wire I2. By the same rotational movement the bolt I8 is slightly canted so that its head bears more snugly against the lower half of the washer 20.

A modification of the clamp of this invention is shown in Fig. 6. In this modification the lateral walls 22 of the female element I4 are provided with slots 34 cut in the lateral walls 22 from the right side of the female element I4 as seen in Fig. 6. The lashing wire I 2 is inserted in this slot 34. The tightening action of the bolt I8 drawing the element I5 into the element I4 brings the clamping jaws I'I together and moves the inclined surface 3|] against the lashing wire I2 as described in connection with Figs. 2, 3, 4 and 5.

In the application the device of this invention by clamping a lashing wire in position relative to a messenger cable, the lashing wire is slid up into the slot 34 while the element I5 is drawn far enough out of the guideway 23 to permit the lashing wire to pass up to and t in thespace 29. The bolt I8 is then engaged in the tapped hole I9 and the surface of element I5 brought into engagement with the wire I2. At this point the clamp I3 is inserted in position on the messenger cable I0 and the bolt I8 turned in the tapped hole I9 to draw the element I5 further into the element I4, grasping 'the messenger c-able I0 and tightening the grip on the lashing wire I2. When nally in fully tightened position the clamp I3 holds the lashing wire AI2 tightly secured between the surfaces 3|) and V32 and the sides of the slots 34. At the same time the jaws I'I grasp and clamp the cable I 0.

In addition to the clamping achieved lby the jaws I1 and the surfaces 30 and 32, the clamp I3 has other surfaces which may be modified so as to grip the lashing wire I2. The lip 26 and the shoulder 21 on either side of the clamp may be formed to receive the lashing wire I2. Upon tightening the clamp these parts converge under the rotational movement of the male element I5. 4Similarly openings could be provided through the guideway 23 in the vicinity of the abutment between the surfaces 24 and 25. The rotation of element I5 upon tightening the clamp I3 brings about clamping at this point. Another area in which the tightening clamp I3 could provide gripping is between the lower half of the head of bolt I8 and the back 28 of the element I4. In these areas the gripping action that could be obtained is concomitant with closing the jaws I'I on a mes,- senger cable I U.

Aerial cables such as telephone and power cables are supported above ground to suspension from a stronger cable. The aerial cable or telephone cable is secured to the stronger messenger cable by lashing wire which is a small diameter wire that is wrapped around the two cables to hold them close to each other, if not in contiguity` In normal use the two cables are subjected to various forces which tend to separate them, causing the wire to shift in its position. To avoid and prevent this shifting of the lashing wire and to hold the two Acables together, the lashing wire is in turn clamped to the messenger wire by a messenger wire clamp. In assembling the lashing wire, the messenger wire and the aerial cable during cable Stringing operations, the operator must have a messenger wire clamp which is easy to apply and infallible in operation.

Among other advantages of this invention, the lashing wire is clamped by the same operation that tightens the clamp on the messenger cable I0. The lashing wire is held between jaws which are also integral 4surfaces of the clamp. The

nature of the surfaces and the action betweenv them as the clamp is closed permits large tolerances in the dimensions of the parts whilestill providing satisfactory clamping strength. These.

be readily appreciated that other primary abutting jaws such as radial jaws may be employed in clamps incorporating this invention. Other adaptations and variations in the clamps embodying the described invention may also be made together with numerous changes in construction and rearrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit of the invention as defined by the claims.

We claim:

1. In a composite clamp for securing a small diameter wire relative to a large diameter wire having a pair of engaging parts and a first set of jaws, one on each of said engaging parts, the combination of a female element forming one of said engaging parts and carrying the first of Said jaws, a channel shaped guideway formed in said female element, a male element carrying the second of said jaws and fltable into said guideway of said female element, a first surface in said guideway, a pair of diametric walls adjacent said first surface, an aperture in each of said walls adjacent said first surface for receiving a wire inserted laterally therethrough, a second surface on said male element positionable adjacent said first surface and between said respective apertures, and means for moving said first and second surfaces with relation to each other in the area of said aperture whereby said small diameter wire inserted laterally in said apertures is positioned between said relatively moving first and second surfaces.

2. In an electrical connector for securing together and connecting electrical conductors, a first clamp member including an elongated U-shaped member, comprising a pair of longitudinal diametric walls, a longitudinal wall transverse to and adjoining said diametric walls forming with said diametric walls said U-shaped member, a first jaw mounted on said U-shaped member opposite to said longitudinal transverse wall, apertures formed diametrically in said diametric walls, a surface of said transverse wall lying between said diametric apertures, a second clamp member including an elongated block member fitable in said U-shaped member, a second jaw mounted on said block member, a surface on the opposite side of said block member extending longitudinally of said first member; and means for drawing said block member into said U-shaped member including means for moving said block member surface with relation to said U-shaped member surface through the area between said apertures.

3. In an electrical connector for securing together and connecting electrical conductors, a rst clamp member including a pair of longitudinal diametric walls, a longitudinal wall transverse to and adjoining said diametric walls forming with said diametric walls a U-shaped member, a first jaw mounted on said first member laterally across one end of said U-shaped member; a second member including an elongated block member fitted into said channel, a second jaw mounted on one end of said block member; longitudinal slots formed in said pair of longitudinal diametric walls adjacent said longitudinal transverse wall of said first member, a surface on the opposite side of said block member from said second jaw extending longitudinally of said block member; and means for drawing said block member into said channel and positioning said longitudinal surface on said block member adjacent said longitudinal slots.

4. In an electrical connector for securing together and connecting yelectrical conductors, a first clamp member including an elongated U-shaped member, comprising a, pair of longitudinal diametric walls, a longitudinal wall transverse to land adjoining said diametric walls forming with said diametric walls said U-shaped member, longitudinal edges on each of said diametric walls opposite to said transverse wall and a first jaw mounted on said edges laterally across one end of said U-shaped member; ya longitudinal slot in each of said diametric walls extending inward into said U-shaped member from a first end thereof and an inner surface of the transverse longitudinal wall; a second clamp member including an elongated block member table in said U-shaped member, a, second jaw mounted on said block member, and an inclined surface on the opposite side of said block member from said second jaw extending longitudinally of said block member, said inclined surface being fitted in said U-shaped member at an angle to a portion of the inner surface `of the transverse longitudinal wall `of said U-shaped member; and means for drawing said block member into said U-shaped member including means for moving said inclined surface of said block member with relation Ito said -portion of said transverse wall.

5. In yan electrical connector for securing together and connecting electrical conductors, a first clamp member including a pair of longitudinal diametric walls, a longitudinal Wall transverse to and adjoining said diametric walls forming with said diametric walls a U-shaped member, longitudinal edges on each of said diametric Walls opposite to said transverse Wall, a first jaw mounted on said edges laterally across one end of said U-shaped member and a first inner surface on one end of said jaw; a second inner transverse surface on said longitudinal transverse wall facing said rst inner surface of said first jaw, lapertures diametrically formed in the respective -diametric walls adjacent said second inner transverse surface for receiving a wire laterally of said surface and said U-shaped member; a second clamp member including an elongated block member table in said U-shaped member, -a seccond jaw mounted on said block member, a third surface on the opposite side of said block member from said second jaw extending longitudinally of said block member, ya fourth surface on said block member adjacent said second jaw and abuttable with said first inner surface of said first jaw; and means for drawing said block member into said U-shaped member including means for moving said fourth surface :and said first inner surface into abutment and moving said third surface with relation to said second longitudinal transverse surface whereby said second member is simultaneously rotated with relation to and longitudinally drawn into said U-shaped member.

HENRY R. WENGEN. ALLAN C. MILLER. RAYMOND B. SCHOONMAKER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,654,838 Schroeder Jan. 3, 1928 2,044,679 Frese June '16, `1936 2,456,808 Becker Dec. 31, 1948 

